Story Ideas

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Bosque is one of the great success stories of refuge management. Wintering populations of migratory waterfowl have increased from fewer than 40 Sandhill Cranes in 1940 to over 18,000 Cranes, 50,000 Snow and Ross's Geese and 40,000 ducks. Every November the Festival of the Cranes hosts over 160,000 visitors. Winter mornings at Bosque are filled with the unforgettable mellifluous chatter of Sandhill Cranes preparing for takeoff, and evening skies reveal endless flights of Sandhills returning to the marshes to roost. Throughout the day, startled Snow Geese explode into flight simultaneously by the thousands, creating enormous visual walls of black and white wings that dissipate as quickly as they formed. Intensive management of water levels, soil, and agriculture through the collaboration of the USFWS, refuge staff, volunteers, and local farmers has made Bosque the crown jewel of the Southwest. More images...

Shade-grown Coffee

Shade-grown coffee farming is increasingly recognized as a more environmentally friendly and economically viable practice than traditional farming, as it results in significantly less loss of bird habitat as well as less pollution of streams and rivers. Large areas of Central and South America have been overgrazed and have seen significant erosion of steep slopes due to failed agricultural projects. Many communities cultivate small amounts of coffee, banana, citrus, and plantain, often with significant pest problems. Local farmers often cannot afford pesticides, resulting in crop failure, economic ruin, and the formation of low quality pasture called "pasto miel." Most of the cultivated land is in sugarcane, and the disposal of bagasse and ash byproducts from sugarcane farming frequently contaminates streams and rivers. New farming systems must meet the economic goals of the farmers without further degrading the environment.

On the Ochongo farm in Northwestern Pichincha Province, Ecuador, the Maquipucuna Foundation is introducing a new way of farming. Banana trees are planted to produce shade for new coffee plants and young woody trees. Bananas trees grow very rapidly and produce fruit in just eight months. A moth larva parasitizes the banana trees, but Marco, a manager of the project, has shown that pesticides can be avoided by aggressively cutting down infested banana trees. The Maquipucuna Foundation's ambition is for the banana's shade to assist healthy coffee growth in the short-term. Larger, but slower growing trees will add to the shade production and enable reforestation of the hillsides and improve bird habitat and animal diversity. Coffee from this experimental project is being sold in the US under the brand Choco Andes. More images...

Bird Nests

Nesting is one of the most fascinating animal behaviors. Precocious birds like killdeer, quail, and ducks lay their eggs on the ground in nothing more than a hollow. Their down-covered chicks are able to walk and feed at birth. Altricial birds like songbirds and raptors are master carpenters, constructing high-rise platforms, woven cups, and hanging baskets for the sole purpose of raising their naked, helpless offspring until they are old enough to fledge. Nests built close to the ground, like those of the Hooded Warbler and the Broad-billed Hummingbird, are often heavily camouflaged. Higher up, Pyrrhuloxia nests are hidden and nearly inaccessible. Hawks nest high above the ground, as do Great Blue Herons, presumably as protection from predators. Nest-building behavior is so tightly programmed into birds that it is often possible to identify the species just from the appearance and height of the nest. Finding and identifying bird nests is rewarding in itself, but watching birds rear their young is a truly captivating experience. More images...